The Early Years
by Cereal Adventurer
Summary: A series of one shots focused on the NJBC growing up in the UES. Taken from some of the chapters of an old fic I wrote, but reworked to be one shots.
1. The Playground

AN: If some of theses stories look familiar it's because they were taken out of an old fic I wrote. I wasn't entirely happy with the outcome of the fic, but I liked some of the stories so I reworked them to turn them into one shots. Yeah, some of you might find this dumb and repetitive, but whateves. I'm planning on adding a few more too.

**The Playground **

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Serena Van Der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf sat out on a playground at an exclusive Manhattan primary school as they waited for their first day of Kindergarten to start.

"I'm so glad we're going to school together," said Blair, while she flattened out the pleats in her skirt and fussed with her blouse desperate to make her appearance perfect. Her soft brown hair was styled into a mass of perfect curls, and topped off with a giant pink headband. This was in stark contrast to the thoughtlessly placed scrunchie that held Serena's flowing blonde locks in place.

"Yeah, me too. I just know we are going to be best friends," replied Serena as she laid down onto the grass, she had a certain ease about her as she smiled radiantly at her friend.

Blair was envious of the natural ease Serena had as they were about to start school with a dozen of kids they didn't know, for she was quite the opposite- entirely nervous. Her father had told her all about Kindergarten: teachers, recess, art projects, and more in an attempt to prepare her, and after weeks of speculation, and careful planning today was D-day: Blair Waldorf's introduction into the world of schooling, and everything had to go just right.

Blair watched as Serena rolled across the grass without a care in the world. "Your going to get your outfit dirty," Blair said, horrified at the idea of even a speck of dirt finding it's way onto her new clothes.

"So," was Serena's careless response, and it became obvious that the two girls had different priorities in life, but Blair was attracted to the way Serena's impetuous nature, just as Serena was attracted to Blair's commanding presence and orderly way of doing everything, and the two who met through their parents, and their parents love for charity organizations became fast friends.

While Serena was busy tumbling around the area where they sat, Blair decided to do some surveying of her new classmates.

"Look at that boy over there." Blair pointed in awe. Standing on top of the jungle gym stood a golden haired boy holding a shiny new football. "I am Nate Archibald. King of the playground," he shouted, and all of the other kids ran towards him laughing, wanting to play with his new toy.

"I'm going to marry that boy," Blair stated with conviction, and Serena started to giggle. Leave it to a five-year-old Blair Waldorf to all ready have an intended husband.

Another boy, sitting by himself, also looked on from a distance at the self-proclaimed "king of the playground." He was small and had dark brown hair. Dressed in the most peculiar clothes for a five year old- a pink and navy argyle sweater vest over a white polo, with kaki pants, and to top it all off he had a navy and white Polk-a-dot bow tie. In his hand he held a tiny brief case.

As soon as the golden haired boy had a moment by himself, the small dark haired boy walked up to him, brief case in toe.

"Chuck Bass," he stated as he extended his right arm.

Nate shook his hand and introduced himself as well. "Hi, I'm Nate."

"Why are you dressed so weird?" asked Nate in an unabashed manner.

"I live in a hotel, so I have to dress professional," Chuck replied stumbling over the word professional.

"Oh," Nate responded, still a little wary of his latest acquaintance.

"I like your football," Chuck said eyeing the ball with envy.

"Thanks. My dad got it for me. It's new."

"Can I play with it?"

"No. I wont let anyone touch it," Nate replied, clutching his ball tightly into his chest.

"What if I gave you something in here?" Chuck opened his brief case to expose a pack of baseball cards, a yo-yo, and some sour patch kids, as Nate peered into the case inquisitively.

"Hmm, how about for those sour patch kids and that yo-yo?" Nate asked.

"No, no, no, I said something, not nearly all of it," Chuck responded, quickly closing his brief case.

"But," Nate whined before Chuck intercepted, "I'll give you everything in my brief case, IF, you let me play with your football, AND, you do a dare for me."

"What?" Nate asked, as he really wanted the contents in Chuck's briefcase.

"I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl at this school."

"Who's that?"

Chuck looked around the playground, and then spotted the brunette with the curls and a big pink headband sitting next to her blonde haired friend.

"Her," Chuck pointed to the brunette.

"Oh, come on. Girls are gross," Nate moaned.

"Do you want my stuff?" Chuck questioned.

"I bet you wouldn't kiss a girl?" Nate taunted.

"Watch me," Chuck stated with defiance, as he marched right up to the brunette, introduced himself, and proceeded to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"You're gross," she screeched, wincing as she pushed him to the ground.

Humiliated the girl ran away while her friend just stood there and laughed.

"Hi, I'm Serena Van Der Woodsen," she told Chuck and Nate, who was now standing next to Chuck laughing as well.

"That was my best friend, Blair Waldorf," she continued.

"Hi, I'm Nate Archibald."

"And I'm Chuck Bass," Chuck told her as he stood up from the ground and dusted the dirt off of his clothing.

"Nice to meet you," replied Serena with a bright and inviting grin.

Just then the bell rang, and Serena skipped off to find Blair, so they could start their day together, while the two boys started walking towards their classroom.

"Do you really live in a Hotel?" asked Nate.

"Yeah. I do. Maybe you could come over sometime."

Blink and you'll miss it, but this is how friendships are created, and crushes develop.

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'

AN: I know some of you have already read this, but it would be great if you would leave a review. Up next: Nate and Chuck hang out at Chuck's hotel where they run into Carter Baizen.


	2. The Palace

**The Palace**

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Chuck and Nate were sitting in the Palace Hotel kitchen one day after school eating hamburgers and fries especially made just for them, and talking about Saturday morning cartoons. Nate was partial to the Power Rangers, while Chuck was more of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan.

"No you're wrong, the Power Rangers could take the Turtles any day," Nate ranted. "They have better karate skills, and can combine forces to create the megazord, which would totally destroy anything the turtles could come up with," he continued.

"Yeah, but the Power Rangers don't have April O'Neil," Chuck smirked.

"What?" Nate looked confused. April O'Neil, the pretty reporter for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, was useless when it came to fighting bad guys.

"It doesn't matter," Chuck responded, pushing his empty plate away. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know, what can we do?" Nate replied.

"Anything we want. My dad owns this hotel," Chuck proudly stated before he jumped off the kitchen table.

"OK, lets go play in the lobby," Nate said as he followed his friend off the table, and stepped ahead of him to take the lead. "We can play with my new football."

"OK," said Chuck, happy to have someone to play with. He was so used to doing everything alone, and he was extremely grateful for the change of pace.

The two boys walked out into the lobby, and it was there they noticed another boy who looked very familiar.

"Hey, is that Carter Baizen?" Nate asked.

"Who?" Chuck responded.

"It is. He goes to our school. He's in grade three," Nate told Chuck after he got a closer look.

Cater was sitting in a chair, waiting patiently for his parents. As he looked across the room he noticed the two boys, and motioned for them to come closer. With a large cheesy grin he said hello.

"You two go to Buckley Elementary, right?"

Chuck and Nate both nodded with wide eyes. They couldn't believe a third grader was talking to them.

"Say, I really like your football," Carter pointed to Nate's ball.

"Oh, really…you can play with us… if you want," Nate told carter with excitement.

"Cool." Before Nate knew it Carter had grabbed the ball from him, and ran out of the Palace lobby.

"Nate, why did you let him take your ball?" Chuck questioned.

"He'll bring it back," Nate stated confidently.

"I'm not so sure," Chuck said with suspicion.

A little bit later Carter came back, but with out Nate's prized football.

"Hey, where's my ball," Nate cried out.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," Carter chuckled cruelly.

"You didn't find it. You took it," Chuck accused.

"Yeah, give it back," Nate shouted.

"Make me."

With that Nate jumped towards Carter hitting him with his fists.

"What on earth is going on here?" shouted Carter's mom, who had previously been at the bar with his dad, but all the commotion of the two boys fighting caused her to turn around.

"Mom, the Archibald kid started attacking me," Carter cried, trying to play innocent.

"Well, it's apparent that the boy has no manners," she said in disgust, "I'm going to have to call his parents."

Chuck looked furious. Nate looked on the verge of tears.

"Come away, darling. We don't need to be around this kind of company," Carters mom told her son with an air of disdain.

Carter smirked at a distraught Nate, and after his mother turned away he gave Nate a violent shove causing Nate to fall awkwardly to the floor and cry out in pain, "Ouch my shoulder."

"Are you alright," Chuck asked as he bent down to his friend's side.

"No, I think I broke a bone," Nate moaned.

"It's ok, I'll get a doctor, and I'll make sure that Carter Baizen gets what he deserves," Chuck stated as vengeance filled his eyes.

Chuck went off to talk to a hotel attendant, and in no time a paramedic came for Nate. Shortly after, hotel security showed up.

"It was him," Chuck pointed out Carter, who was at the bar with his parents, to the security team. "He stole from the hotel, and started a fight with my friend, right here in the lobby. He's a dangerous guest."

"Sir, your son caused quite a scene, and we're going to have to ask you, and your family to leave this hotel," the security team told Carter's father.

"There must be a mistake," Carter's father protested.

"Yes, my son did nothing wrong, it was Captain Archibald's boy," Carter's mother stated in anger.

"I'm sorry, but I have it on a direct authority from the Bass family, that neither you, your husband, or your son, are permitted in this hotel ever again."

Chuck watched on with glee, as the Baizen family was shamefully escorted off the Palace Hotel's premises.

_Nobody messes with Chuck Bass._


	3. The Park

It's short but sweet. Hope you like.

**The Park**

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**

It was a warm and sunny day in New York, the perfect day for Central Park.

"I'm the princess," stated Blair, in a matter of fact sort of way, as she twirled around in her new blue dress.

"This is my prince," she pointed to Nate.

"You're the evil witch," she said, turning to Serena

"Hey," Serena cried out in protest.

"OK, OK, you're the good witch," said Blair, slightly upset at this inconvenience, because now who was going to be the evil witch?

Blair looked at Chuck.

"Nope. I'm not going along with your stupid game, Waldorf," Chuck told Blair in a harsh tone.

"Fine Chuck. What will you be?" Blair asked, as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm the pirate captain, searching for treasure"

"I want to be a pirate," exclaimed Nate.

"No, Nate, we already have one person ruining our game, Blair stated, as she gave Chuck a horrifying glare, "We can't have two people who aren't going to follow the rules."

"Plus being the prince is the best, because it means that one day you'll be King, and I'll be your Queen, and we will have a magical kingdom, and we'll be able to keep dirty pirates away from our treasure," Blair went on, to try and convince Nate in playing the game her way.

"Alright," said Nate admitting defeat.

"Come on Blair, lets just play," Serena said, as she lovingly grabbed Blair by the hand.

"OK, so now I'm with the good witch, and Nate you have to come get me."

"Not if I get you first," called out Chuck.

"Like that will ever happen," retorted Blair

"OK, come and get me Nate. The game starts now," and with that Blair and Serena ran off into the park while Nate, and Chuck followed closely behind.

"Blair, we can go into that patch of trees to hide from the boys," Serena told her friend, as they skipped through the grass.

"No, I want Nate to find me," Blair replied.

Just then Chuck jumped out from behind.

"Gotcha," he yelled, dragging Blair down into the mud.

"Blair let out a loud scream, "You ruined my dress!"

"You're not playing the game right," she yelled out at Chuck.

"Maybe I don't want to play the game right," he responded.

"Serena, go get Nate. Bring him here," Blair demanded.

Serena skipped off to go get Nate, but she never brought Nate back. Instead the two ended up running through the patch of trees. Blair began to cry, because even at seven years old, she knew that when the princess, and the pirate ended up together; and the prince, and the good witch ran off, shit was about to hit the fan.

"I hate you Chuck Bass," Blair cried.


End file.
